: Fri Mar 20, 2009 5:02 pm  

Great game and great performance from both teams. There were some BIG HITS and BIG HIT UPS last night. if both teams can play with that intensity every week there won't be many teams that will live with us. I know some of the Widnes fans are dissapointed with there 1st half performance but to be honest if we were playing anyone else we would have blown them away by half time, and Likewise in the second half for Widnes with all the pressure they had how many other teams in our league would have managed to keep them to just two tries.
My main concerns at the moment is our injuries, if Goodard, Haley, Gleeson, Worrincy, James and Greenwood don't make it for the Barrow match we will struggle to find enough players to make a team.
We now have a squad of only 23 players this isn't big enough to cope with injuries through a season.

: Sat Mar 21, 2009 2:39 am  

Greg Florimos Boots wrote:

Was very impressed with how much stronger we looked than Widnes. Our players constantly got over the advantage line and in defence constantly knocked the Widnes players back. Some of the hits that we put on were awesome. Take Dave Larder after he threw out the bad pass boy did he make up for it with 3 massive hits. A good start to the season and with a bit of composure would probably have beaten them by more.

I think you've pointed out there what Widnes fans have known all season - well 2 seasons now. In the space of about 3 years we've lost Terry O'Connor, Barrie McDermott, Ryan Tandy, Aaron Summers, Jordan James, Oliver Wilkes, Adel Fellous, Danny Lima, Martin McLoughlin, Gareth Price, Adam Sidlow and Ste Nash - all props and the only experienced prop we are left with is Jim Gannon. In fact out heaviest player is probably a kid from the u18's.

Welcome to the Ste McCormack coaching manual - chapter 58: How to play RL with no props.

I was pleased with the fact we coped quite well with the fitness and energy levels despite playing against a much bigger team. My main worry from a Widnes point of view is that we're going to run into exactly the same problems when we play against any side with a big pack like Barrow, Whitehaven etc. Unless we can bring someone in, we're always going to struggle somewhat in the middle. Then again, I suppose what our pack lacks in size maybe compensated by their mobility in the summer months and firmer pitches?